Conservation training day

Castletown Heritage Society operates the Castlehill Heritage Centre as an educational resource for visitors, local students and school children and the local community. Through a programme of interpretive exhibitions and interactive workshops, we seek to stimulate and sustain interest in and understanding of the history, heritage, vernacular skills, biodiversity and physical environment of Castletown and the parish of Olrig.

Our aim is to preserve and maintain the unique heritage of our community within both local Caithness and broader Highland contexts.

To see previous events and activities, click here:

Summer Exhibition

Sat, Sun & Wed afternoons

2 - 4pm or by appointment

Summer Exhibition - Trades and Business past and present, in and around Castletown

Learn all about the fascinating and diverse range of trades and businesses that have flourished in the village and parish over the years.

From the flagstone works to wood chip carvers to joke mask manufacture to state of the art freezer manufacture!

Castlehill Heritage Centre, Harbour Road, Castletown, nr Thurso

Events throughout July and August

First event Tue 13 July 7pm to 9pm

Summer programme of Archaeology Workshops

Our summer programme of archaeological activities will get underway with an evening on Tuesday 13th July from 7pm to 9pm, when local archaeologist Paul Humphreys will explain the importance of pollen in archaeology. The evening will feature opportunities for participants to try some hands-on analysis of pollen samples and comparisons with ancient peat buried samples.

An exciting programme of activities is proposed for the remainder of the season, including plane tabling hut circles, re-surveying Mercers work in Dunnet, recording the Castletown Battery, probing for the chapel of St Coombs, looking for signs of Stangergill Castle, and much more. Ideas from interested people are very welcome.

All our archaeological events involve hands-on participation and are suitable for beginners to experienced alike. Interested in taking part? For further details - contact

September

Date and time to be confirmed

Traditional skills workshop - Lime Mortar Pointing

Run in conjunction with the Scottish Lime Trust, this extremely popular workshop offers training in the use of lime-based materials for the conservation and repair of Scottish traditional buildings.

Sixteen delegates maximum. The last time we ran this event places were snapped up very quickly - to find out more and register early interest, click HERE

October

Date and time to be confirmed

Autumn Craft Days

Learn how to make Nuno felt scarves at this hands-on workshop day with Sharon Pottinger.

Make these light but cosy scarves in a range of bright colours in time for winter. Children welcome to accompany a participating parent.

10a.m. to 3.30pm. Further details later

To find out more and register early interest, click HERE

October

Date and time to be confirmed

Ganseys - Traditional Fisherman's Jerseys

Learn about the local traditional patterns and methods involved in traditional fisherman's jerseys. Try your hand at making your own.

To find out more and register early interest, click HERE

October

Dates and times to be confirmed

National Mod - Caithness - Fringe

Watch this space for details of events and workshops to be based at Castlehill during Mod Week in Thurso!

6 & 7 November

10am - 3.30pm

Silk Paper Making

Watch for further details. To find out more and register early interest, click HERE

November

Date and time to be confirmed

Returning by popular demand

Pre-Christmas Sale at Castlehill

Struggling to come up with that original Christmas gift for a friend or loved one? Then why not come along to our pre Christmas sale and peruse our unique selection of original Christmas gifts with a local focus.

• Slate and stone goods from Caithness Stone Industries
• Cards, prints and paintings from local artist Helen Moore
• Wood items lovingly crafted by the North Highland Woodturners Association
• Hand knit hats, scarves, bags, socks and Christmas ornaments from Caithness Stitch n Blether
• Silk scarves, driftwood art, hand felted items from Castlehill Crafts
• Books and calendars from Castlehill Heritage Centre
• Items lovingly crafted by North Highland Woodturners Association
• Christmas cracker fun and much, much more.

Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee as you browse and purchase.

Winter Exhibition

November

Sat, Sun & Wed afternoons 2 - 4pm or by appointment

Opening date to be confirmed

Winter Exhibition - Details to be confirmed

COMPLETED EVENT REPORTS

Quiz night at Castlehill

There was much hilarity, scratching of heads and whirring of cogs amongst the twelve teams who took part in our Quiz Night, and we were delighted to have four teams of youngsters from the Castletown Army Cadets.

Quizmaster Neil put the competitors though their paces with a balance of testing and easy(?) questions, covering ten different topic areas, such as Pot Luck, Television& Film, Blockbusters and Sport. In the event it proved to be a closely run thing for the top four teams, however the final 'specialist' round on knowledge of Caithness sorted out the 'knows' from the 'don't knows' with 'The Particulars' emerging as overall winners by only one point.

The teams were treated to a lovely supper of home baking and sandwiches mid way through the evening, courtesy of Liz Buchan, Jayne Blackburn, Jackie Donaldson and Muriel Murray.

After the raffle had been drawn, the Particulars were awarded their prizes, each receiving a beautiful turned wooden bowl crafted by local woodturner, Alastair Hossack.

The evening proved to be a popular success so plans are already afoot for another event in the autumn.

Saturday 16 March

Traditional Home Fare and Baking

The wonderful aroma of home baking was in the air when the first of our traditional workshops for the 2010 season got underway.

Liz Buchan and Maisie Nicolson demostrated how to make pancakes, flourbread, oatcakes, brose, treacle scones, welsh cakes and berebread. Neil and John were on hand as chief tasters and showed how quickly they could disappear...

Workshops

1 to 2 April

Gala Concert

Friday 2 April

Traditional musical heritage workshop

For two days, Castlehill Heritage Centre was host to a Scottish Traditional Music Workshop, delivered in partnership with North Highland Connections and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Local school children and music students were coached by ten students from RSAMD in a series of instrumental workshops. Tonight's concert, held in the recently refurbished Mey Hall was the culmination of their efforts, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house as the children and students entertained the capacity audience to music of the highest calibre.

The concert was compered and supported by the legendary Phil Cunningham, pictured far left with some of the RSAMD students and was without doubt one of the best traditional music concerts to be held in Caithness for many a year.

Wed 21 April

CHS Annual General Meeting

An enthusiastic audience turned out to hear Chairwoman Muriel Murray reflect upon a very full year of activity, a highlight of which was the the success of the Society in winning the Community Initiative category at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in November 2009. The AGM was followed by a fascinating talk by Barbara Hiddleston, archivist at the Castle of Mey.

The following were elected to Executive Committee of the Castletown Heritage Society:

Two day workshop

Sat 24 and Sun 25 April

Drystone Dyking Course

Participants in the latest of our very popular Drystone Dyking courses have created a new feature on the Castlehill Heritage Trail. Over the course of the weekend and working under the expert tuition of Master Craftsman Dave Goulder from Rosehall, a magnificent section of traditional Caithness drystone dyke, complete with a seating area, has been constructed adjacent to the north east entrance to the Trail.

Visitors taking advantage of a rest at the seat will be treated to a superb and uninterrupted view across the fields to Dunnet Bay and Dunnet Head beyond.

Saturday 1 May

Peat Experience Workshop

Thankfully the weather was kind last weekend for the first "Peat Experience Workshop" delivered by Castletown Heritage Society in conjunction with Mary-Ann's Cottage at the nearby village of Dunnet. Answering an appeal from the trustees to replenish the peat stack at Mary Ann's Cottage at Dunnet, eight volunteers keen to learn the art of cutting peat joined three committee members of Castletown Heritage Society on Dunnet Head.

Under the knowledgeable command of Dave Glass, Brough and Hamish Manson and his son David from Dunnet, the voluneers were put through their paces. After an introductory talk on the various tools of the trade, they set off on the thirty five minute walk into the hill where work began in earnest. The peat bank was first 'tirred' (the top turf removed and the face prepared) then each volunteer had a chance to cut different shapes of peats with a variety of instruments. Once cut, the peats were tossed to the waiting catchers who set them on the heather to dry. The weather was ideal for the job, with bright sunshine and a slight breeze. The cut peat will now be left to dry for a few weeks before the second workshop. Proceedings were captured on camera and video by Mick O'Donnell, Brough.

CHS is also putting on a Peat Experience Day on Sunday May 30th. On offer will be a guided nature walk to the peat bank, a chance to watch or even try cutting the odd peat, bannocks by a peat fire at Mary Ann's cottage, a display in castlehill heritage Centre showing the formation of peat and the archaeological importance of peat as a means of conservation.

Anyone wishing to participate in the Peat Experience Day should register their interest as soon as possible by clicking HERE or telephoning 01847 821204.

Two day workshop

Sat 8 and Sun 9 May

Something Corny

Internationally renowned Elaine Lindsay from the Guild of Straw Craftsmen led a well attended workshop demonstrating how to make 'corn dollies' and other traditional handicrafts using straw as the base material. Elaine will probably remember her first trip to Caithness for the wrong reasons however. On her way north she was held up for over two hours at Berridale while a rescue helicopter landed beside her to transport an injured coach driver to hospital and the road was cleared!

Despite her very late arrival at Castletown Hotel, Elaine gave participants at the two day straw work workshop excellent instruction and demonstrated a wide variety of plaiting methods. The participants, whose ages ranged from teens to sixties, were delighted to be able to produce examples of many of the techniques.

Elaine is also co-ordinating stories on the history of harvest knots, corn dollies etc. Local visitors to the centre during the workshop were able to add their reminiscences of farm workers making and wearing harvest knots in their buttonhole at dances. Any other similar stories would be welcomed by CHS who will pass them on to Elaine.

For futher info see Elaine Lindsay's website

Sunday 30 May

Mary Anne's Cottage from 10am

Castlehill Heritage Centre from 1pm to 4pm

'Peat Experience Day' - A Grand Day Out

On Sunday 30 May the second of the 'Peat Experience Days' organised by Castletown Heritage Society in conjunction with Mary-Ann's Cottage at Dunnet took place on the brilliantly sunny and slightly breezy peat bank on Burifa Hill at Dunnet Head. This event was a follow-on from the very successful peat workshop held earlier in the month, where a good quantity of peat was cut and laid out to dry.

Whilst the main activity of the day was to set up the peats to enhance the drying process and to take home the first consignment to Mary-Ann's Cottage, participants experienced the full peat life cycle - from trying their hand at cutting, setting up and stacking peats to sampling home-made bannocks baked over an open peat fire at Mary-Ann's Cottage, Dunnet.

From 1pm to 4pm in the afternoon, Castlehill Heritage Centre featured a display on the formation of peat, the archaeological importance of peat and stories of sacrifice, fairies and water gods of the peatlands.

Ready for the off	Easier than carrying by hand or a sack on the back!	John Crowden and David Glass explain the basics of cutting the peat	And this is how it's done
Making a start at the peat stack at Mary Ann's Cottage		I love work....I could watch it all day...	Enjoying the fruits of their labours...Carmel awaits a freshly made bannock

Winter Exhibition - Looking Back 100 Years

The Winter exhibition, which featured a fascinating insight into village life in Castletown and the surrounding area around1910 proved has now closed. The exhibition proved to be very popular. The Summer exhibition on Castletown businesses and industries over the past 50 years has now opened - see above.

Saturday 12 June

2 - 4pm

Northern Loops - Knit in Public Day

Unique opportunity to take part in national 'Knit in Public Day'. Thurso based 'Stitch 'n' Blether' will be running a sociable knitting event in Thurso precinct as part of the Northern Loops project aimed at knitting together a new inter-generational group to allow young and old to socialise and exchange knowledge.

In parallel with the main event. Castletown Heritage Society offered visitors the opportunity to run up a row or two of knitting or learn to knit.

Saturday 5 June

(All day Workshop)

followed by

Tuesday 8, 15, 22, 29 June

Evening Workshops

Writing at the 'Hill

Using Castlehill Heritage Centre and its surroundings as a touchstone for writing, we opened with a series of workshops focused on the building blocks of writing: description, character, narrative, and point of view. With activities both fun and useful, participants enjoyed a day of creativity.

June 5 began the series with an all day workshop (soup, sandwiches, tea, and coffee were provided). Participants walked around the harbour, along the old flagstones or in the garden at Castlehill as part of the day's activities.

The full day Saturday session was followed by three Tuesday evening sessions.

Sharon Pottinger, former writing teacher and local writer, led these sessions.

Future sessions include a look at poetry facilitated by Christine Russell and other genres led by local and visiting writers. To register interest, click HERE